When Niles Met Daphne-Part 3
by iloveromance
Summary: The third of eleven installments, retelling the love story of Dr. Niles Crane and Daphne Moon in short story form through all 264 episodes. Dedicated to Pat2Trivia4Me for suggesting this series of stories.
1. She's The Boss

_**A/N: This is the third installment of a series of romantic stories about Niles and Daphne, written in AU form, allowing them to interact in every episode. Eight more will follow, and eventually, every chapter of every story will all fit together, like pieces to a puzzle, thus creating a running series about how they met and fell in love. Each story represents one season of Frasier (This one being Season 3) and each chapter is an episode title. **_

(Niles' POV)

When the door opened, Niles' heart skipped a beat. Before him stood an angel, looking so beautiful that she took his breath away. In her hand was Eddie's leash, indictating that she was about to leave. He smiled shyly, looking her up and down. "Hello Daphne. Where are you off to?"

"Oh, I'm taking Eddie for a walk."

His eyebrows rose. "By yourself?"

She shrugged, as though going out alone was the most natural thing in the world. "Sure, why not?"

He reached into his coat pocket and retrieved his latest purchase. "Well, you might want to bring along one of these."

She looked at the small gun that he held proudly in his hand. "A starter's pistol?"

"Yes, I-."

To his horror, she began to laugh hysterically, bringing a feeling of inferiority; a feeling he never imagined that such an angel as Daphne Moon could produce. But she was still laughing as she walked out the door. Instantly he regretted his purchase and the decision to show it to her. He had no idea that she would react in such a manner and it pained his soul. He was only trying to make her proud of him, even if it was out of pure selfishness.

He then turned to his father, who was shaking his head in disbelief. Martin Crane needed no words to let his youngest son know that he had been disappointed by the youngest Crane once again. "I know it's unusual Dad, but as long as Maris thinks that it's real, it makes her feel safe and secure. But it's not loaded of course. I-."

The gun went off, startling him so badly that he jumped on to the sofa. His father looked badly shaken and Niles' heart was racing like mad. Seconds later the door opened, sending Niles jumping back onto the carpeted floor. But the sight did little to slow his heartbeat, and instead made it increase.

"Daphne..."

She was crying. His angel was crying. He laid the gun on the coffee table, forgetting all about its existence and went to her at once. But he was stunned when she threw her arms around him.

"D-Daphne, what's wrong? What's happened?"

She pulled out of his arms and looked at him tearfully. "I should be asking you the same thing. I was about to get on the elevator when I heard the gun go off! I thought..." She began to sob, prompting him to pull her closer, and she cried on his suit.

Never before had he felt such guilt.

His hand moved gently across her back, his fingers running through her hair that felt like spun silk. "It's all right. The gun went off by mistake. I-I didn't think it was loaded. But I'm fine. And Dad's fine. We're just a little shaken up and-."

She was looking directly at him now, her brown eyes staring into his eyes of blue. "I don't want to lose you, Dr. Crane."

The words made his heart sing and he hugged her once more. "You won't, Daphne. I promise."

Slowly she drew back a second time and looked at him, grasping his hands in hers. "Promise me something. Please."

"Of course, Daphne. Anything."

"Promise me that you'll be careful with that gun. I meant what I said. I don't want to lose you. And I'm so sorry."

"What could you possibly be sorry about?"

"For laughing at you, Dr. Crane. I'm flattered that you wanted to protect me. But I want to protect you too. I care about you... so much."

"Thank you,Daphne. I care about you too. Your concern means the world to me. And so do you."

The gentle kiss she placed on his cheek made his heart soar yet again. And as he held her tightly, he vowed to return to the store where he'd puchased the gun and get a full refund. Maris' safety was important to him, but now his own safety was of an even greater importance.


	2. Shrink Rap

(Daphne's POV)

Daphne was in so much pain that even getting out of bed was difficult. The doses of aspirin she'd taken throughout the night did nothing to stop the aches that consumed her body. Sleep was practically non-existent and by the time exhaustion finally outweighed her pain, slumber came at last… albeit mere moments before her alarm went off.

Wearily she climbed out of bed, wincing at the pain it caused. She moved slower than normal, but tried to appear as cheerful as possible. But it wasn't easy. She was all too aware of the looks she received from Martin and Frasier, but she said nothing and went about her way, making breakfast as quickly as she could. However, it was no where near her normal speed.

"You okay, Daph?"

She couldn't help the annoyed glance she shot at Mr. Crane's eldest son, while being grateful to Martin for his concern. If it weren't for Martin's sons, she wouldn't be in so much pain. Why or why did she offer to help them move Frasier's office furniture into that vacant office space next to his brother? She should have known that it would prove to be disastrous. They were in practice together barely any time at all before they were at each other's throats. All of that exceedingly hard work of lugging desks, chairs, lamps and boxes from the car into the building had to be done again, this time in the opposite direction.

Now she stared at Martin in amazement. He was much older than she and had been through so much more than she had. So why wasn't he in such excruciating pain? She loved the old man and would never want pain bestowed upon him, but it didn't seem fair! She was a physical therapist for God's sake! She was supposed to get rid of other people's pain, not suffer through her own! She considered lashing out at Frasier, for this was all his fault, but she simply didn't have the energy.

After slugging through breakfast she concentrated on cleaning up the kitchen. But she was so focused on her discomfort that it took her several seconds to notice that the phone was ringing; and even longer to realize that she was alone.

"Bloody hell." She muttered, painfully crossing the room. But by the time she reached Martin's chair, she was hurting so badly that she slumped into it, biting back tears. The phone continued to ring and the effort to answer it was almost too great. But with one painful turn, she reached for the phone, feeling as though she'd just climbed Mount Rainier.

"Hello?"

There was a brief pause before the caller spoke_. "Daphne? Is that you?"  
_

She winced, eternally grateful for the sweet voice on the other end. "Yes. Hello, Dr. Crane. How are yo-Ow…Ohhhh…"

_"I'm fine, um, Daphne, what's wrong? You sound upset."_

Her heart warmed. Leave it to Niles to notice every little detail about her, even though the phone line. "Not upset, just… Hurt."

_"I'm sorry Daphne. I know it's none of my business but if you want to talk about it, I'm here for you."  
_

She wanted to hug him, oh, how she needed to hug him. No one on earth was as sweet as Niles Crane. But she couldn't even muster the effort to move. "It's not that kind of hurt, Dr. Crane, although it's so sweet of you to be concerned. Me whole body aches and I can hardly… oh… move."

_"It sounds like you may have caught that nasty flu that's going around. Be sure to drink plenty of liquids and-."_

"Dr. Crane, I'm afraid it's not that kind of pain either."

_"I don't understand."_

"I was afraid you wouldn't, but you see, ever since I helped you and your brother move his things in and out of your office building, I'm afraid my body wasn't ready for such demanding physical activity. I can hardly move and it hurts even to breathe sometimes. And don't even get me started on trying to sleep."

_"Oh Daphne, I am so sorry. This is all my fault! Can you ever forgive me?"_

"Now, Dr. Crane this is exactly why I didn't want to say anything! This isn't your fault or your brother's so don't you dare blame yourself!"

_"But how can you say that? Frasier and I are the ones who decided to go into practice together and what a disaster that turned out to be! Dr. Schacheter was right. It's best if Frasier and I stay far away from each other. We're terrible together and I'm sure that Frasier must hate me!"_

Forgetting all about her pain (for but a moment) she straightened in Martin's chair, regretting it immediately afterward. "Dr. Crane, you listen to me! You're a wonderful man and your other loves you very much! He's been driving your father crazy, blaming himself when no one is at fault!My pain is no one's fault but me own!"

_"Daphne no-."_

"I knew I shouldn't have been lifting such heavy boxes but I wanted to help you and your brother and your father, so I have no one to blame but meself. I'll be all right! I just… Ooohh…" Suddenly she was reminded of how much pain she was in.

"_Daphne, is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?"  
_

She smiled once more, touched by his concern. "I'll be fine. I promise. I am a bit tired, however, so I think I'm going to take some more aspirin and lie down for a bit. Good night, Dr. Crane."

_"Goodnight… Daphne."_

She hung up the phone, laughing when she realized she'd just said goodnight before 10 in the morning, and grateful for such a wonderful friend. Minutes later she'd cleaned up the kitchen and consumed a slightly stronger dose of aspirin. It was a chore climbing into bed but exhaustion soon won over her the pain and she fell into a deep sleep.

Sometime later a knock on the door startled her and she woke slowly, surprised to find that almost three hours had passed. He heart racing she hurried to pull on her robe and went to the door. Just as she feared, her boss stood in the doorway. He must be absolutely furious with her. She was supposed have done all of her chores and started on lunch by now. "Dr. Crane… How long have I been asleep?"

She expected him to rant and yell, but instead he smiled. "Don't worry about that Daphne. And I'm sorry for disturbing your slumber. I just wanted to give you this."

She gasped in surprise when he handed her a large gift basket. "What's this?"

"Well…"

"Dr. Crane, you didn't have to buy me anything."

"I didn't. This was by the front door for you."

She looked up in surprise, her heart skipping a beat. "But Dr. Crane, I don't understand." But suddenly Frasier was gone.

Her curiosity peaked; she carried the basket to her bed and sat down. She removed the cellophane and gasped, unable to believe what she was seeing. First came the envelope, on which he'd carefully written her name and she removed the elegant letter inside.

_Dear Daphne,_

_In light of our phone call earlier, I felt compelled to send you this gift basket. If you haven't already looked inside, I apologize for spoiling the surprise, but I hope you'll enjoy the trip to the day spa. Maris uses it quite frequently and the staff is wonderful. I suspect the therapeutic massage will have you feeling better in no time, as well as the many other amenities that they have. Speaking of amenities, I've also enclosed some bath products that I thought you might like and some assorted teas. _

_I hope this in some small way, lets you know how grateful that I am for your help and more importantly your friendship. _

_Sincerely, Niles Crane_

Tears spilled down her cheeks, bringing looks of confusion from Frasier and Martin, who were suddenly standing in the doorway.

"Well, aren't you going to tell us what it says?" Martin demanded.

"I think that's a bit personal, don't you, Mr. Crane?"

"Oh for God's sake, Daphne! Just tell us who it's from!"

Daphne looked at the two men and smiled, clutching the card to her chest. "It's from my friend. My best friend. And I love him very much."


	3. Martin Does it His Way

(Niles' POV)

When the service was over, he walked out of the church along with his brother, father and Daphne. And Niles couldn't help noticing that his dad couldn't stop smiling. The feeling was strangely contagious. "Well, Dad you look awfully happy for someone who just attended a funeral."

"I am happy, Niles." His dad replied, surprising him. "And I'm proud of both of my sons. To think that the Elliott Bay Church performed a song that I wrote! Wow! It's just incredible!"

"I didn't mean to make such a scene Dad, but it was so much fun directing them!" Frasier said, his voice more excited than Niles had heard it in a long time. "I pondered all night on what to say about Aunt Louise and suddenly inspiration struck! You know, Sinatra was a fool to turn down your song, Dad. It's quite catchy!"

Martin patted his son on the back. "Thanks Fras. And thank you too, Niles. Boy, I can't believe it! My song.."

Although he continued to speak, His father's words trailed away as Niles' gaze landed on his angel who, appropriately, looked incredibly angelic, silhouetted by the beautiful stained glass window. But something was wrong.

When he approached her cautiously, he could see her sniffling and suddenly he felt remorse for the jokes that he and Frasier had told about Aunt Louise in the car on their way to Wilson's Meadow to scatter her ashes. Now he cringed, brushing away the remnants of his loathed aunt from his suit. Without hesitation he reached into his pocket for his handkerchief and went to her.

"Here, Daphne."

She turned to him, smiling gratefully as he took the handkerchief from him. "Thank you Dr. Crane. It was a beautiful ceremony. And what your brother did for your father was so wonderful. I know you weren't fond of your Aunt Louise but I have a feeling that she would have loved it."

To Niles' dismay , she sniffled again and his heart went out to her. "Oh Daphne come here." He wrapped her in his arms, inhaling the scent of her hair, doing his best to comfort her. "What an angel you are, grieving over someone that you never got to meet."

She drew back and looked at him in astonishment, causing him worry. "What's wrong?"

"You… You just called me an angel."

He swallowed hard, embarrassed at what he had done. "Oh, I…"

She squeezed him tightly and kissed his cheek. "You're such a sweet man. But I'm not grieving."

"What?"

"Oh, I mean no disrespect to your Aunt Louise at all, but I have a terrible cold and I feel absolutely miserable. I'm sorry if you thought-."

He smiled, somewhat relieved, but concerned for her health. "Nonsense Daphne, the fault was mine. But if you feel so ill, then why-."

She smiled and took his hand, squeezing it gently. "I wanted to be here for you and your brother and your father. You're my family and I love you all."

Before he could speak, her arms were around him, hugging him tightly. When she drew back he looked at her thoughtfully. "Why don't I got and get Frasier and Dad and we'll take you home? You can change into something more comfortable, although you look absolutely stunning in that dress."

She blushed, making her even more beautiful. "Dr. Crane…"

"Well, you do… Um, and then I'd be happy to make you some soup or-." To his horror she began to cry. "I-I didn't mean to upset you."

She smiled and kissed his cheek once more. "You didn't. I just never dreamed that I'd ever find a friend as wonderful as you."


	4. Leapin' Lizards

(Daphne's POV)

Daphne smiled to herself, remembering the events of the past few weeks. Shed used every muscle in her body, helping Niles and Frasier move Frasier's things into Niles' building, but in the sweetest gesture she could have ever imagined, Niles showered her with gifts, including a luxurious day spa. Never in her life had she been so pampered. And that night, she slept better than ever before. And then there was the funeral for Niles and Frasier's Aunt Louise. Daphne had never met the woman, but Louise certainly didn't sound very pleasant. Leave it to Frasier to arrange to have Martin's Sinatra song performed by the church choir. It certainly took everyone by surprise and Martin was so happy.

But it was Niles who made her feel warm inside. He was such a sweet man, comforting her when he thought she was grieving over his aunt. And when she told him that she wasn't grieving but was in fact ill with the flu, he wasted no time in taking her home, where he immediately tended to her every need, making her soup and even calling her doctor for advice. It was almost no time at all before she was feeling completely healthy again. It was incredible how someone who she often thought of as pretentious could be so sweet and thoughtful. Niles Crane had become her best friend in every sense of the word.

The phone rang, bringing her back to the present and she ran to answer it. "Hello?"

_"Hello, Daphne."_

She didn't have to ask who was calling. She knew by the warm feeling in her heart. "Dr. Crane…"

_"I told Frasier that I'd be over in about an hour, but I'm afraid it's going to be a little longer than that."_ Niles admitted.

"Oh, that's all right. I'm sure your brother won't mind. Will you be staying for dinner?"

_"Um, I hadn't really-."_

"We'd love to have you and it's no trouble at all. I-." A loud clap of thunder startled her. "Oh dear… Seems that there's a storm coming." Eddie began to whimper, making her smile.

_"So much for Seattle sunshine."_ Niles remarked.

Daphne looked out of the window at the rain that was coming down in sheets. "Dr. Crane, if you don't want to come out in this weather, I'm sure your brother will understand."

_"I'll be there as soon as I can, Daphne. I just need to run an errand."_

She smiled, her heart fluttering at the prospect of seeing him again. "All right, but please drive carefully. You know how other people drive in this kind of weather."

_"I certainly do. Thank you, Daphne."_

She had planned on spending her time cleaning the living room and the kitchen, but the storm was simply too distracting. And it was then that she heard the whimpering once more. Her heart went out to the little dog and she smiled at the sight of him, shivering as he buried his head in the cushion of Martin's chair. She went to him, gently stroking his soft fur in an attempt to calm him, but when the doorbell rang, he whimpered even more. Finally she picked him up and carried him across the room while she answered the door. "Come on, Sweetheart. You'll be all right."

When she opened the door, Niles looked at her in surprise. "Hello, Daphne. What… what's wrong with Eddie?"

"Oh, he's just frightened by this thunder and lightning. And I can't say that I blame him. It rains a lot here, but I'm afraid I'll never get used to these thunderstorms, since we don't have them very often. The poor thing was hiding his head in your father's chair."

"I'm, sorry I was late. I had promised Frasier that I'd stop by the vet and pick up these pills for Eddie."

Daphne smiled and took the bottle from him. "Oh, yes. His pills. Your father sure has a time trying to get him to take them but I have a secret."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I just put one into his food and he hardly knows it's there."

"Ah, how clever."

"I don't know about that, but it certainly seems to work. I'll go make his food right now and he can take his dose."

"I'll just sit here and keep Eddie company."

She handed the Jack Russell Terrier to Niles, smiling when Eddie kissed his cheek. "He loves you, Dr. Crane."

Amazingly, Niles blushed. "Oh, I don't know about that."

"I do."

"Must be your psychic powers again."

Daphne walked over and hugged Niles, Eddie sandwiched in between them. "You're his family. And you're a wonderful friend. How could anyone not love you?"

As though in agreement, Eddie kissed Daphne's cheek, making Niles chuckle. "My thoughts exactly, Daphne."


	5. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

_(Niles' POV)_

The minute he introduced Joe to Daphne, he regretted it deeply. He could tell that there was an instant attraction between them. The way Daphne would blush and giggle as she and Joe exchanged silly words of meaningless sweet talk. Meaningless and unintentional perhaps, but it pained him nonetheless. With a sigh he retreated into the kitchen relieved when both Daphne and Joe were out of view. But he was soon joined by Daphne, who looked happier than he'd ever seen her. And he couldn't have been more miserable.

"Dr. Crane, what do you think about Joe?"

The question stung and he swallowed hard. "Oh, I don't know. He's…"

"I was just wondering if he was single."

Another sting; or rather, a blow to his heart. "Actually…"

"I'm sure he's mentioned some girl to you."

To his dismay, Daphne's face lit up, making her even more beautiful and he struggled for the right words. "Well… not any one girl. Not old love 'em and leave 'em Joe."

She looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Let's just say that he's wrecked more homes than he's fixed."

Her smile faded, replaced by a lack of sadness and disappointment; one that made him feel strangely sympathetic to her. "I'm sorry, Daphne."

"Well, it's better I should know now before I get me hopes up. Thank you for being honest with me, Dr. Crane. And thank you for the gift bag with the bath products and the day at the spa. It was wonderful. I feel so much better now. Thank you so much."

"It was my pleasure, Daphne. I-." He paused, alarmed by the tears in her eyes. Dear God, surely those tears weren't his doing. "What's wrong?" He dared to ask.

"Nothing. It's silly." She replied. "I just…"

"What?"

"I wish…"

"What do you wish?"

"I wish that someday some man will love me enough to be as honest with me as you are. Thank you, Dr. Crane."

But the hug and kiss on his cheek that she gave him felt like a punishment. If only he could find a way to tell her how he felt, before she became inevitably swept away by another man.


	6. Sleeping With The Enemy

(Daphne's POV)

Daphne gasped in disbelief when Martin opened the door. There stood Niles looking worse for wear. His hair was disheveled and he wore a pained expression; one that broke her heart. "My God, Dr. Crane what happened?"

"Maris found a grey hair." He replied, puzzling her even further. He staggered into the condo where his father immediately guided him to the sofa. "Daphne, get Niles a brandy!"

At Martin's order, Daphne scrambled to the bar, her hands trembling as she removed the top of the bottle and poured the brandy into a glass. The way her friend looked, there was no telling what his wife had done this time. Whoever heard of anyone getting so upset over a grey hair? And to take it out on the man they were supposed to love? It was completely daft!

She hesitated only for a moment before crossing the room and handed him the glass. "Here you are, Dr. Crane."

He smiled weakly and took a sip of brandy. "Thank you, Daphne."

"Niles, what's this all about?"

"She blames me, Dad. She said it's from the stress I've caused her."

Daphne was appalled. She had only met Mrs. Crane a few times but she couldn't hate the woman more. Oh, she knew it was wrong to hate anyone but Maris Crane was an exception. She wanted so badly to say something, but she just couldn't do it. Niles already appeared dejected enough. Instead, she sat beside him on the sofa, her hand on his forearm. "Dr. Crane, I know this isn't much, but I'm sorry you're hurting and if you need anything at all, I'm here for you. I-."

He rose from the sofa and the hug he bestowed upon her was so warm and welcome that she felt tears spring to her eyes. He rubbed her back, making her feel so loved. And it seemed like the most natural thing in the world to rest her head against his shoulder. "You're right, Daphne. It's not much at all. Your friendship means everything to me. Joe is a very lucky man."

She smiled, thinking of the man she'd just begun dating. He wasn't perfect by any means and he had none of the qualities of Niles, but she liked Joe… a lot. And it was all because of Niles. If he hadn't introduced them, she wouldn't be so happy right now. "I'm lucky too." She replied, kissing his cheek.


	7. The Adventures of Bad Boy and Dirty Girl

(Niles' POV)  
Despite the mess the crash had made of his car, Niles couldn't have been happier. Since the episode with Maris, he'd come to a realization. He didn't need Maris, her money or her mansion or her servants to be happy. He was doing just fine, having moved into the exclusive and very luxurious Montana. He was at the top of the world and he couldn't wait to share his joy with his family. Given his previous state of depression, they were sure to think him crazy, but he didn't care. It certainly wouldn't be the first time they thought that of him. His key in hand he unlocked the door and walked right in.

"Hi ho everyone, what are you all doing inside on such a beautiful clear autumn day?"

His father and brother looked at him in shock but it was Daphne's reaction that he would never forget.

"Niles, what in the hell are you doing here?" Frasier demanded. "And what's with the shopping bags?"

"Well, I-."

The glass Daphne had been holding in her hand fell to the floor and shattered as she moved toward him, her eyes rimmed in red and tears on her cheeks. "Dr. Crane, is it really you?"

"Um, yes it is, but Daphne-."

Her hand flew to her trembling mouth and she began to cry. "Oh my God…"

His own shopping bags dropped to the carpeted floor and he slowly encircled her in his arms. It was the closest thing to heaven that he'd ever experienced; that is, until she kissed his cheek not once, but twice. And then she kissed him yet again. The feeling of her soft lips on his skin was indescribable and he felt his cheeks flush. But he couldn't help wonder what brought on the sudden affection. Reluctantly he drew back, his heart warming at the sight of her beautiful face.

"Daphne-."

"I'm so glad you're okay! When I saw your note, I-."

He blinked in surprise. "My… note?"

She went to the table and picked up the handwritten note he'd left for them and began to read.

_"Dear Dad, Frasier and Daphne,_  
_when you wake up this morning I'll be gone. Thank you for all of your help but I don't want to be a burden any longer."_

Suddenly he realized how the note sounded and he was filled with remorse. "Oh Daphne-."

"I thought…" She paused and began to sob. "I thought I'd never see you again."

He took her into his arms and held her. "I'm here and I'm all right… I'm sorry I frightened you. I just came over to tell you how happy I am! I decided to embrace my life as a bachelor and live life to the fullest. I even went shopping!"

She drew out of his arms, watching in confusion as he pulled a pair of faded light blue jeans out of the bag. "See? I bought these jeans!"

"Niles, for God's sake! You're in denial!" Frasier yelled.

But Niles was undeterred by his brother's insensitivity. "I beg to differ, Frasier. I'm quite in tune with my feelings. I've written them in this journal, see?" He opened a small notebook and began to read. "Ah, here we are; _5AM blissful confusion. Something's wrong, but what? 5:01AM-Oh yes. An overwhelming sense of despair. 5:07_ this one's hard to read. Oh right. _Wept uncontrollably_. 6:15-."

He found himself in Daphne's arms, her gentle hand moving across his back. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane."

Her whispered words brought tears to his eyes, and he knew that his façade had been broken. Who was he kidding, pretending to be happy? He held his angel a little tighter and sighed. "I'm sorry too, Daphne."


	8. The Last Time I Saw Maris

(Daphne POV)

"Niles, just calm down, okay? Don't do anything you're going to regret!"

Daphne stood in the doorway, watching the heartbreaking scene unfold before her eyes. Niles stood in his living room, like a scared little boy as he stared at his brother and father.

"I don't want to be a bachelor! I didn't like it the first time!" Niles cried.

"Niles, just sit down for a minute." Martin ordered.

"Where, Dad? Here?" Niles pointed to a wing back chair. "In the chair that Maris and I picked out on our honeymoon in Vienna?" He walked to the piano, running his fingers over the slick wood. "Or here? Where we spent our evenings playing Mahler while Maris dabbed at her watercolors?" He moved again, this time toward the sofa, running his hand across the fabric. "Or how about here, where we sat sipping champagne on our last anniversary?" He sighed deeply. "I guess that really _was_ our last anniversary."

Tears filled Daphne's eyes and she covered her mouth with her hand to hide her soft gasp. Frasier moved to embrace his little brother. "Oh Niles…" But as Daphne might have expected, Niles moved away from Frasier's reach.

"Fras, let's go put these things in the car." Martin said quietly. "I think Niles needs a minute alone."

"But Dad-."

"Come on, Frasier. We'll be in the car, Niles. Just take your time."

Niles smiled sadly. "Thanks, Dad."

When the elder Crane men were gone, Daphne stepped out of the shadows. "Dr. Crane?"

Niles looked up in surprise. "Daphne, I didn't see you there. I-." He moved closer, studying her intently. "You're crying. Are you all right?"

The question increased her tears and she pulled him into her arms. "You're such a sweet man, worrying about me when it's your brother, father and I who should be worrying about you. I-I'm so sorry."

"This isn't your fault, Daphne." Niles said brokenly. "Maris and I-."

She held him closer, stroking his back. "I know I'm not a psychiatrist like you or your brother but if you ever need to talk, or anything at all-."

He inhaled deeply, rubbing her back as though trying to soothe her. "Thank you, Daphne. That means a lot to me."

She drew back and smiled at him, brushing a small tear from his cheek. "You mean a lot to me, too, Dr. Crane."


	9. Frasier Grinch

(Niles' POV)

As soon as he opened the door to his brother's home, Niles froze. It was as though he'd arrived in some sort of Christmas nightmare. Everywhere he looked, gaudy Christmas decorations greeted him, filling every inch of the living room, even obscuring the Christmas tree. The simple green wreath with a gold flocked bow that hung on the front door must have been Frasier's doing, no doubt an attempt to make the place seem normal.

The only bright spot in the place was the sight of Niles' angel, who floated into the living room carrying a most unusual bag. She smiled when she saw him.

"Oh, hello Dr. Crane."

"Hello, Daphne. My, aren't you looking lovely this evening? Um, what's in the bag?"

"Me Grammy Moon's Plum Duff." She said proudly. "A still flour pudding boiled in a cloth bag. Grammy Moon has a secret ingredient. She soaked it in rum and ignited it. The flames took the ends of her hair right off!"

Niles chuckled. "Sounds wonderful."

"I certainly hope Joe's parents like it."

His heart sank. "Joe's _parents_?"

"Yes, I'm going over there for Christmas dinner."

His heart sunk even further, into the depths of his stomach where depression would inevitably set in. He knew that Daphne and Joe had been dating for a while. It was essentially Niles' doing as he had convinced Joe to ask Daphne out a second time after Niles had lied about Joe's character to discourage her. But Frasier had been right.

It was wrong to go against his ethics, even for the woman he loved. But the fact that he'd done something to make Daphne happy didn't make it hurt any less. However, he pretended not to be affected by this unexpected news. "Oh, so you're not spending Christmas with us?"

She smiled, her brown eyes sparkling like chocolate diamonds. He could tell that she was happy and he should be happy for her. But still, it hurt.

"We'll have plenty of time to share Christmas with each other. Don't worry."

"I see… Well, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, Daphne."

Unexpectedly he felt her lips upon his cheek. "Merry Christmas Dr. Crane."

His heart produced a warm ache, watching her leave. He loved her so much. If only he had the courage to tell her.

But for now, he'd keep dreaming. After all, isn't that what Christmas is for?


	10. It's Hard To Say Goodbye

(Daphne's POV)

They were standing side by side as she concentrated on grating the carrots. It had been a long day and she couldn't wait to get dinner started and over with so that she could crawl into bed. But making dinner wasn't so easy now.

While she enjoyed the younger Dr. Crane's company immensely, she couldn't help but feel annoyed by his endless questions;

"That's interesting." He was saying now. "You're grating those at a 45 degree angle. Is that to enhance the flavor?"

"No, it's just an old habit." She replied.

"Why are you grating carrots?"

"Because we have carrots." She snapped. Why was he asking so many questions? He'd never seemed so meddlesome before. But when he spoke again, it was as though he'd read her mind.

"I'm sorry for asking all the questions. Now that I'm separated, I have to learn to cook for myself."

Her heart went out to him, for she knew he was hurting over the rift in his marriage and having to move out of his home. Luckily his brother was there for him, offering him a place to stay. And Daphne had to admit that she liked having Niles living under the same roof. But at the present time, she wished he was somewhere else; even another room would do.

"It's quite all right." She said. "Look, why don't you grate the carrots, while I get the chicken ready to put into the oven?" Relief came over her as she turned her back and began dusting the chicken lightly with flower before placing them on the foil-lined baking tray.

This seemed to improve his mood. "All right. I can do that. Oh, thousands of sharp teeth on this grater, aren't there?"

Just as Daphne picked up the tray, she heard him yelp in pain.

"Dr. Crane!" She turned in horror to see him staring at the blood on his fingers. It wasn't much but she knew from experience that even a small amount of blood was enough to cause him discomfort. And as she had feared, his face drained of all color.

At once she forgot all about the chicken and set the tray down, rummaging in the cabinet for the first aid kit. She took his hand and he swayed slightly as she guided him to the sink. "Let's run some cold water on this, all right?"

Her hand still in his she turned the water on as the trickle of blood joined with the water and swirled down the sink. And then she turned off the water. As gently as possible, she dried off his hand with a clean dish towel.

Their hands were still joined as she guided him over to the bar stool. "Have a seat and we'll get you all fixed up, okay?"

"Th-thank you Daphne. This is very nice of you."

"Oh, what are friends for, right? Now let me just clean this blood up a bit and-." She heard him gasp; realizing immediately that she'd said the wrong thing. "Why don't

you look at something more interesting and I'll be finished in no time. Doesn't your brother have some lovely things in his home?"  
When she was finished, his fingers were clean and she'd wrapped a bandage around them. "Now, I'm all finished. I know that's going to be a bit uncomfortable, but I think you'll be all right in a day or two. I don't want any infection to set in and-." She looked up to find him smiling at her and her heart skipped a beat. "Why are you looking at me that way?"

"You mentioned Frasier having lovely things in his apartment."

"He certainly does. Sometimes it makes me feel even luckier that I live here. Almost like I came into good fortune and… Dr. Crane, are you all right?"

"Yes, Frasier does have some lovely things in his apartment. But nothing could be lovelier than the angel I'm looking at right now."

She gasped, almost finding herself in the same disillusioned state as he. Perhaps he was still affected by the sight of the blood on his hand. But she couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes. They were the sweetest words that anyone had ever said to her. She looked away, brushing away a few tears that had made their way to her cheeks.

"Why don't I leave you alone? I can see that I'm nothing but a nuisance here."

Her heart ached and she turned to hug him tightly. "You're wonderful, Dr. Crane, completely wonderful. And don't ever forget that."


	11. The Friend

(Niles POV)

He stood at his brother's doorstep, his fingers over his mouth. He tried not to think about what he'd just seen in the elevator (a half-eaten lizard. It was enough to make him shudder-and it did) and concentrated on the task at hand. And with any luck, he'd have the good fortune of seeing his angel once more. He really should apologize for catching her off-guard by calling her an angel to her face, when she'd tended to his hand; the hand he'd injured while grating carrots. But then again, he was merely speaking the truth and the reward of being pulled into her arms for the most glorious embrace was more than he could have ever hoped for. He rang the doorbell and waited patiently. Sure enough the door opened and he saw his brother's face.

"Niles…"  
Without being invited in (for after almost three years he assumed that it was implied), he walked right in, pausing to reach into his jacket pocket.

"Oh, Frasier, I had a breakthrough today with one of my compulsive gamblers and as a reward of sorts, he gave me two tickets to the Emerald Downs racetrack on Saturday. It's a luxury box. I thought that you might want to go."

"Oh, I would love to go, Niles." Frasier replied, but why don't you want to use them?"

Niles lowered his head. "Well, the jockeys, if you must know."

Frasier was understandably confused. "What?"

"Diminutive, underweight figures in expensive skills, wielding riding crops. It just reminded me too much of Maris."

"Niles, when are you going to get over this?" Frasier asked. "It's been weeks now since you moved out!"

"Fras-."

"It's all right, Dad. You're right Frasier, I should get over it. And I will… in time. I-."

As before he found himself in Daphne's arms, wondering only for a minute when she had entered the room. But at that moment it didn't matter, nothing mattered.

Nothing at all.

"Don't listen to your brother, Dr. Crane! You take all the time you need. And I meant what I said before. If you need to talk or anything at all, I'm here for you."  
Niles inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of her hair. "Thank you, Daphne."

He expected her to move away, but she stayed as she was, holding him. And he was only too happy to remain in her arms.


	12. Come Lie With Me

(Daphne's POV)

Daphne laughed when she saw Niles standing in the doorway wearing, of all things, a large black cowboy hat. "Dr. Crane, you look like you just stepped out of a Western!"

He grinned, blushing at the compliment, which wasn't really meant to be a compliment at all, but if it made him happy then it was worth it.

"Th-thank you Daphne. I know I don't usually dress like this but it's a special occasion. The Hoedown for the Homeless."  
"Oh, sounds excitin'!"

"Well, not really but you know… it's for a good cause."  
She sat down beside him on the sofa and took his hand, smiling at the way he shivered at her touch. "You're such a sweet man, always doing such nice things for others." She glared at her boss as he entered the room. "Unlike your brother."  
"Daphne, I said I was sorry." Frasier said. "How many times-."  
"And I told you that I'm staying, although I'm not really sure I should stay." She admitted.  
"Very well, Daphne. But for the record, I'm glad you aren't going to leave. We'd miss you."  
Daphne scoffed. "Sure you would."  
His feelings clearly hurt, Frasier's smile disappeared. "Well… I believe I have some reading to do so I'll just be in my room."  
Daphne crossed her arms. "Good. Night, Dr. Crane."  
When Frasier was gone, she could feel Niles looking at her. "What was that all about?"  
"Oh, your brother is being impossible! Imagine, him telling me what I can and cannot do in the privacy of me room!"  
Niles' mouth fell open. "That's preposterous!"  
"Exactly! If I want to sleep with Joe in my bed, I have every right to-." She paused, her eyes widening when she saw Niles start to cough. He seemed to be having trouble breathing and he was alarmingly pale. "Dr. Crane, are you all right?"  
"I-I..."  
She put her hand on his back, rubbing in small circles. "Just relax, breathe deeply. Everything will be all right."  
It took some doing but she was finally able to calm him, to her great relief. "Th-thank you, Daphne." He choked out.

"Of course. Now, where was I?"  
"Y-you were talking about Joe."  
"Right. Of course. Well, your brother-."  
"D-Daphne?"  
"Yes?"  
"Wh-why were you going to leave?"  
She sighed. "I don't know. I just got so mad at him, interfering with me privacy. But it is his home and I can respect that. So we made a compromise."  
"What sort of compromise?"  
"Joe and I went away for the weekend, to a romantic bed and breakfast up the coast. Oh, it was so romantic! I-."  
"Daphne-."  
"Yes?"  
He was silent for a long time; so long that she feared he might have another attack.  
"Are you sure you'll be all right?"  
"I-I just… I'm glad that you didn't leave."  
Her heart warmed at his words and she smiled. "I'm glad too."  
"If you had left us… I'd miss you."

She drew him into a hug, holding him close as she blinked back tears. "I'd miss you too, Dr. Crane. I'd miss you terribly." 


	13. Moon Dance

(Niles POV)

He couldn't believe it. Daphne Moon, the woman he loved so much, loved so deeply, had offered to be his date for the Snow Ball. And now she was giving him dance lessons. It was like a dream come true; one that he never wanted to awaken from for as long as he lived.

He was in her arms as they moved slowly to the music. Her incredibly soft hand was in his, her arm around his waist. She was so close that he could smell her hair; the intoxicating scent of cherry bark and almonds. It was as though he'd fallen into heaven, high above Cloud Nine.

The lessons were no longer boring yet difficult, as he'd remarked when they'd first begun and instead had become the highlight of his days. Even if this was the only way he'd ever be able to be in her arms, and perhaps the closest he would ever get to holding her, or even going on a date with her, he was bound and determined to make sure that their evening at the Snow Ball was absolutely perfect.

He played it out in his head, making sure he left nothing to chance. He'd buy her a single red rose. Yes, that would be the perfect thing to do; a romantic gesture, but not too obvious. And as he thanked her profusely once again for the lessons and heeded his father's cautionary gaze, he hurried to his car.

He would start now, perfecting the evening that he was so looking forward to. There was so much to do; so much to prepare for and for a split second he worried that he wouldn't be able to get it all done.

He couldn't wait to see what she would be wearing. Would her dress be blue, yellow, gold, white, short, long, or somewhere in-between? It didn't matter; not at all. No matter what she wore, she would be absolutely stunning.

He wasn't sure what the evening would have in store for him but he knew that it would be a night that neither of them would ever forget. And with any luck, any luck at all, his dreams would come true; if only for a night.


	14. The Show Where Diane Comes Back

(Daphne's POV)

In the kitchen, Daphne shuddered at the thought of Diane Chambers setting the beautiful actress Jane Seymour's hair on fire. The woman who was once engaged to Frasier was strange enough, but to think that she was capable of doing such a thing was disturbing. And she couldn't help pointing it out.

"Well, that was a bit scary."

"I'll say." Martin replied. "Really scary, watching someone go completely crackers like that."

To Daphne's surprise, she heard sniffling and turned to find Niles looking like a sad little boy, his gaze on the floor. The sight startled her.

"What's the matter with you now?" Martin asked.

Niles straightened, as though embarrassed that his sadness had been discovered. "Nothing. I'm fine." The words were a lie but amazingly his nose didn't bleed. "I'm just suddenly missing my Maris."

As much as she cared for her boss's brother and her friend (much more than she should) her heart went out to him and she put her arms around him, her heart warming when he laid his head against her chest. It was a scenario they'd played out many times before, but she was always the one in tears. Now she felt a bit helpless. Dr. Crane hardly ever cried. In fact this was the first time she'd seen him this way. It was then that she realized how much he really loved his wife.

Now she was filled with mixed emotions as she rubbed his back and arms, in a rather poor attempt to console him. They'd had the most wonderful time at the Snow Ball and to see him so upset was heartbreaking. It had been a magical evening, dancing in his arms. He was the most handsome man she'd ever seen and when she'd kissed him, it was purely for show. But she didn't expect it to make her feel the way it had. And it was oh so hard to keep from kissing him again. Sure he was, in a sense, single, but suddenly she realized just how much he was hurting.

He was still crying softly when Martin cleared his throat. "Well, I'd… I'd better get in there before they suspect something's up. Niles, it'll be okay. I understand."

He lifted his head and sniffled. "Thanks, Dad."

"No problem."

Daphne blinked back tears of her own. It might have been silly, but it was a touching moment between father and son and she found herself holding Niles even closer, content to rub his back and arms even more.

When Martin was gone she continued to hold Niles, not wanting to let go until he was ready. And even then she wasn't sure that she could make herself let go. Holding him was the most wonderful feeling in the world.

As she expected (and to her dismay) he lifted his head and blotted his eyes with his handkerchief. "I-I'm sorry." He stammered, unable to meet her gaze.

"Don't be." She said quietly. "Are you going to be all right?"

He nodded wordlessly. "Thank you, Daphne."

"I didn't do anything special. I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry you're hurting and that I'm here if you need me."

"Thank you." He said again. "I think I'll go home now."

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

Again he nodded wordlessly. "You know, I think I might even call Maris. I know we're not together anymore, but-."

"I know…" Daphne said softly., ignoring the lump in her throat. "I think that's a good idea. To call her, I mean."

"But what about Frasier?"

"Your brother will understand."

"Thank you."

"Dr. Crane, you don't need to keep thanking me."

"I could never thank you enough, Daphne. You've done more for me than you'll ever know and I owe you the world."

His words touched her heart as they always did, but this time even more so. "You don't owe me anything, Dr. Crane. I never-."

She was in his arms, sighing at the way he was holding her close. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And your father is right. Everything will be okay."

He smiled wordlessly and Daphne followed him to the door where he paused and turned to look at her, the tears still brimming in his eyes. "Thank you." He said yet again.

She squeezed his hand and smiled as he gently released his fingers and stepped into the hallway.

"You're welcome, Dr. Crane." She called to him as he stepped into the elevator. And when the elevator doors closed she continued to stare into the empty hallway, trying to ignore the loneliness that filled her heart. She'd meant what she'd said the night that she came over to his mansion to make dinner on that stormy night.

She hoped that someday some man would love her as much as Dr. Crane loved his wife. But even more than that, she wished that Dr. Crane would be the man to love her.

It would never happen, but that night as she fell asleep, it was all she could dream about. For it was all she ever wanted.


	15. A Word to the Wiseguy

(Niles POV)

"Is that loon still working as your receptionist, Niles?"

Niles rolled his eyes at his father. "She's not a loon, Dad. Brandy is just… well, she's different."

Martin smirked. "I'll say."

"I admit that she wreaked havoc on my practice but at least one good thing came of this whole ordeal."

"Maris won't be bothering you anymore about those traffic tickets?" Martin asked.

"No, actually this is quite monumental." Niles announced. "For the first time, Maris said the words I've been longing to hear."

"I'm pregnant?"

Niles nearly chocked on his drink as he looked over at Daphne. "W-what?"

"I'm pregnant." She repeated.

Niles couldn't' believe what he was hearing. He swallowed hard, realizing at that moment that he'd missed his chance. She would never be his.

"Dr. Crane, are you all right?" She was asking now.

"I-I…"

"I'll get you some tea."

Daphne hurried into the kitchen but just as she reached the doorway, he knew he had to say something. "D-Daphne?"

She turned and looked at him, making his heart beat even faster. She was so beautiful and he couldn't imagine her becoming even more exquisite. But that's precisely what was bound to happen.

"Yes, Dr. Crane?"

He took a deep breath and said the words that he knew she wanted to hear. "Congratulations."

Her eyebrows rose. "For what?"

"F-for the baby. You must be so happy."

"Baby?" Martin shouted. "What baby?"

"Well, Daphne said-."

"Oh, Dr. Crane, I'm not-."

"I know, Daphne. And I'm sorry. You probably want to keep it a secret and I don't blame you at all. But rest assured, your secret is safe with me. I hope-."

"But I'm not pregnant!" She yelled.

"Y-you're… but you said-."

"I meant _Mrs. Crane_." She said quietly.

Niles was aghast. "_Maris_? _Absolutely not_! Maris would never-."

"I'm sorry Dr. Crane. I should have let you finish your sentence and not jumped to conclusions! What did Mrs. Crane say that was so wonderful?"

"Oh, right… She said _Thank you, Niles_."

"That's all?"

"Well, yes, but-."

"Why is that so monumental?" Daphne asked.

"Because… it's the first time I've ever heard her say those words to me."

"You mean she's never thanked you for anything?"

"Um, no, but-."

"That's _horrible_, Dr. Crane! After all you've done for her!"

"You're telling me."

Daphne glared at Niles' father. "Oh stay out of it, Old man! This is between me and your brother!"

"Fine. But Daphne's right, Niles. After everything you've done for that woman, she owes you a world of thanks. And I damn sure hope she delivers!"

Niles smiled as his enthusiasm suddenly burst. "I doubt it, but it's a nice thought."

"Well I think it's horrible!" Daphne went on. "You're a wonderful man, Dr. Crane and you deserve thanks for everything you've done. Not just for your wife. I know I haven't said thank you nearly enough and I'm guessing that your father and brother haven't either."

"Daphne-."

"Go on, Old Man. Tell your son thank you! Right now!" Daphne demanded.

"Aw, geez!" Martin said. "Niles, thank you. Not just for… well, you know… but for being there when I fell in the bathroom and nearly hit my head and for making Frasier take me in. If it weren't for you two kids, I don't know where I would be now. So… thank you. You're a good kid and I'm proud of you."  
Niles blinked back tears and went to hug his father, not even caring that Martin flinched at the touch. "I love you, Dad. And thank you, too."

"For what?"

Niles glanced at Daphne. "Just… Thank you."

"See, wasn't that nice?" Daphne said. "And Dr. Crane, I should thank you too."

"Daphne you don't have to-."

She moved closer and took his hands in hers. "I do. You've done so much for me, helping pay me already to live here with your brother and being such a good friend. I do thank you… so much." Amazingly her eyes filled with tears. "I-I'm sorry.. I don't mean to get so emotional."

Niles smiled and handed her his handkerchief. "It's all right, Daphne. And I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Assuming that you were pregnant. I would never-."

"It was my fault, really. And besides if I really were pregnant, the father would be a man who loves me unconditionally-the way I would love him. Guess since I don't have anybody like that in me life, I don't have to worry about such things."

His heart went out to her and he was about to say something when she disappeared into the hallway. And it was there that he stood, alone with his thoughts.


	16. Look Before You Leap

(Daphne's POV)

It was the most horrible thing that she could have ever imagined. Thanks to Frasier's ridiculous suggestion to do something different. Daphne decided to forgo her usual hair stylist and try someone new, at an entirely different salon. As soon as she walked through the doors of Select Salon, a feeling of apprehension came over her. But she was determined to follow Frasier's advice. After all, today was February 29th; Leap Day, an event that occurred only once every four years.

With a new found confidence, she situated herself in the stylist's chair. "I want something different but not too drastic." She announced.

The stylist smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

"I'm not sure. Just some highlights perhaps."

The stylist's eyes lit up. "Ah, I know just the thing!"

As he wrapped her hair in strips of foil, Daphne felt a rush of excitement. She was sure that when all was said and done, she'd look absolutely beautiful. When he was finished, she sat under the blow dryer and reached into her bag for her romance novel, intent on catching up with the intriguing storyline. It was a book that was hard to put down, even during a hair appointment. But suddenly he was lifting the dryer from her head. "Are you ready to see the new you?"

Her reply was immediate. "Yes, I'm so excited." Her heart raced with anticipation but as he began to remove the foil, she realized that she hadn't told him what color to use.

But he seemed to be a skilled stylist and would surely know what color highlights would best compliment her natural hair color and her features.  
However, when he'd unwrapped the last piece of foil, she looked into the mirror in horror. Instead of the subtle highlights she was expecting, her hair was almost every color of the rainbow; blonde, brown, black and several shades in-between.

She was so stunned that she could hardly speak and she reluctantly paid the bill and ran out of the salon. On her way home she discreetly ducked into a drugstore and purchased a Seattle Mariners baseball cap, which she promptly placed on her head and stuffed her hair underneath it. But that didn't stop her from bursting into tears.

She was still crying when she walked through the front door of her home at the Elliott Bay Towers and she was horrified when she noticed that Roz and Niles were there, along with Frasier and Martin. This would be the worst humiliation.

"What's wrong, Daph? Why are you crying? And why are you wearing a baseball cap? You hate the Mariners!" Frasier inquired.

"Because of _you_!" She yelled, lashing out at her boss; wanting to so much to hate him. "This is _your _bloody fault! If you hadn't suggested that I do something drastic, this would never have happened!"

"What happened?"

"_What happened_? _What happened_? I'll show you _what happened_! _This_!" She yanked off the baseball cap, revealing her multi-colored hair.

Niles, Roz, Frasier and Martin said nothing and instead stared at her in disbelief and no one said a word. Suddenly she couldn't take it anymore. She turned away from them and began to sob into her hands.

"Come on Daphne, it'll be all right." Roz reassured her. "It's just hair!"

"I look awful!" Daphne cried. "My hair is a bloody rainbow! Just look at it! It's horrid!"

For several seconds, no one said a word. She sobbed even harder until she finally made a beeline to her room where she collapsed onto her bed, sobbing into her pillow.

She was still crying when she felt a gentle hand on her back. She sat up at once to find herself looking into a pair of blue eyes, her heart warming at the sight of her friend.

"Dr. Crane…"

"Daphne, please don't cry."

"But I look horrible!"

"You're not horrible, Daphne. Far From it." Niles said quietly.

She smiled sadly, grateful when he handed her his handkerchief. "Thank you, Dr. Crane, but you don't have to be so nice to me! I know l look awful!"

"But I mean it, Daphne. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"That means so much to me, Dr. Crane. You have no idea."

"You mean a lot to me too, Daphne."

She hugged him tightly as he held her close, stroking her back. And she never wanted to let go; especially when he began smelling her hair.


	17. High Crane Drifter

(_Niles' POV_)

"I'm proud of you, Fras." Martin said, but as Niles expected, Frasier merely shook his head.

"Well, thank you Dad, but the whole thing is rather disturbing. Violence isn't the answer."

"Hey, it worked!" Martin reasoned. "That guy at Nervosa won't be bothering you again!"

Niles glanced at his brother; a silent message to try to get him to change the subject. But Frasier wouldn't budge.

"No, I guess he won't." Frasier said. "But it still made me feel a bit uneasy."

"Oh geez, you and your damn ethics!" Martin said. "That's why you were always getting beat up all the time! When are you going to learn to get revenge?"

"Oh, I've learned how to get revenge, all right."'

All eyes moved to Daphne who was smiling proudly. And so she went on. "Just the other day I was doing the laundry when all of a sudden, someone takes me clean clothes out of the washer and dumps them right on the counter, sopping wet!"

Niles gasped. "Of all the nerve!"

"Exactly! So you know what I did? I went right up to me room, took off me red undies and marched back down to the laundry room, where I put them into the wash with the man's white clothes. Those undies bleed their color all over the place, so I can just see the look on his face when he pulls his whites out from the dryer! Won't he be surprised when he finds that his whites are now pink!"

Niles couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd never thought of Daphne as someone who was capable of such a thing. And then he had another thought. One that was much more disturbing. A memory, rather; a memory of the man in the café, whom Frasier chided for taking their table. And the way the man threatened him the next day, causing Niles to exaggerate the act of falling backwards breaking a table in the process. He winced in pain, wishing he could forget that moment. But there was no telling what this man, who had been humiliated, albeit silently, would do to his angel.

"Daphne, don't you think you overdid it a bit?" Frasier was asking.

"Not at all!" She snapped. "Besides, he deserved it! In fact, I'm going to go down there right now and leave a note telling him that did it! That will fix him!" She moved to leave but Niles grabbed her arm.

"Daphne, don't!"

She paused and looked at him in surprise. "But Dr. Crane, I already-."

"Don't do it, please Daphne! Just…"

She stared at him in disbelief. "Dr. Crane… Don't you want me to speak my mind? He had no right-."

"I-I know… a-and it's horrible what the man did to you. But please, just… leave a note and tell him that you're sorry. Say anything."

"And let him get away with it? Absolutely not!"

"Daphne, please! I'm begging you! Apologize!"

"I don't understand."

"I just… I care about you and I don't want you to get hurt. This man… you don't know what he's capable of; of what he could do. So please… as your friend, I'm begging you… don't do this."

She sighed deeply. "You're right, Dr. Crane. I'm sorry. And thank you."

"For what?"

She reached for his hand and squeezed gently. "For caring about me. You're a good friend."

He smiled, overcome with relief. But it did little to lessen his determination. Even if he couldn't have her, he would make sure that nothing or no one hurts her… ever.


	18. Chess Pains

(Daphne's POV)

Her heart went out to her friend. He looked so sad and yet she knew that he was trying so hard to be brave. She had no idea how anyone could display so much bravery after what he'd been through. And knowing how sensitive he could be, she chose her words carefully.

"So how are you getting along?" Daphne asked.

Niles sighed, paining her heart even further. "All right, I guess."

"Feeling a bit lonely, are we?"

"Only when I'm by myself… or with other people." He admitted.

She thought for a moment. "Maybe you need some companionship at the apartment. Something warm and friendly to come home to."

Niles grinned. "Well, thank you Daphne but I'm sure that Dad would miss you."

She blushed deeply and playfully hit his arm, unable to believe he would say such a thing. It was extremely flattering but completely inappropriate to say in front of his rather. But neither Niles nor his father seemed to mind. "Dr. Crane... I was talking about a dog!"

He looked at her as though she were crazy. "A _dog?_"

"Yes. Look what Eddie's done for your father! He's made your father so happy! Dogs make wonderful companions and-."

At that moment, Eddie appeared by her side, his leash in his mouth. "Oh, so you want to go out, do you? Well why don't you learn how to fend for yourself the way the rest of us do?"

The Jack Russell Terrier simply stood there and stared.

"All right." Daphne finally said, trying not to smile. "I'll take you out for a walk. Dr. Crane would you like to come with us?"

Niles eyes brightened "Really?"

"Of course! If you're going to get a dog, you might as well have some practice! And what better way than with a dog who's part of the family?"

"You're absolutely right, Daphne. I think I _will_ come!"

"Wonderful! Now, just take his leash like this and come with me."

Niles looked worried for a moment but mercifully Eddie obeyed.

"Thank you, Eddie." She mouthed, knowing full well that the dog wouldn't understand a word. But she'd make sure to reward him when they returned with some treats.

The three of them walked out of the door and into the hallway, where they nodded politely to Morrie, the doorman. He was such a kind man, always so friendly and eager to greet them.

"You have a good walk." Morrie said with a smile. "It's a beautiful night."

Daphne felt a tinge of nervousness. "Oh really? I… hadn't noticed." It was a lie of course, she'd noticed, all right. Before Dr. Crane came over, she'd been standing on the balcony, admiring the stars and the full moon. But she couldn't admit it. What would Dr. Crane think? Not just Niles, but his brother? And Morrie? Fortunately, neither man caught on to her unease.

As they started on the path, Daphne loped her arm through Niles and they began to walk slowly. She looked up at the stars and sighed. "It really is a beautiful night, isn't it Dr. Crane?"

"It certainly is, Daphne." Niles agreed.

"The world looks so different at night. Much more beautiful, don't you think so? Perhaps it's the moonlight on people's faces, but it's a lovely sight, whatever it is."

Niles couldn't stop staring at her. "I know what it is."

"You do?"

"Yes… it's…. You see, I'm…"

Her heart clinched in her chest and the wave of familiar tears threatened to fall. It was silly, being jealous like this, but she couldn't help herself. She stopped in front of him and took his hand. "I know, Dr. Crane. And I'm sorry."

Niles looked up in surprise. "You're…"

"Your wife. You were thinking about her, weren't you?"

"Oh, I…"

"I should have known. I can see how much you still love her. I'm sorry you're hurting, Dr. Crane."

He lowered his head and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry too, Daphne."

And the tears she'd tried to hide fell down her cheeks, hidden by the darkness.


	19. Crane Vs Crane

(Niles POV)

Niles moved toward the kitchen and glared at his brother. "That is completely untrue, Frasier!" He yelled, appalled at Frasier's accusations. "I took over Mr. Stratford's case to help the family, not to be on television!"

"You're _wrong_ Niles!" Frasier countered.

"_Am I_? You couldn't stand that I had a _high-profile_ case, could you?" Niles shot back, even more hurt.

"I just don't want to see you make a fool out of yourself." Frasier said.

"Ha! You were just exploiting your celebrity!" Niles replied.

"Niles, you are _wrong!_" Frasier yelled.

"Am I? _Now_ I see why you took the case!" Niles shouted. "So that you could be_ right_ and I could be _wrong_!"

Still arguing, the Crane brothers stormed into the kitchen. "I'm going to testify and _you're_ not going to stop me!" Frasier yelled.

"Then I'll see you in court!" Niles countered.

Daphne glared at the men and turned up the volume on her portable radio. But the brothers continued to argue. Until finally-

"STOP! BOTH OF YOU!"

Both men fell silent, watching her in surprise.

"Daphne? Is something wrong?" Niles dared to ask.

"Of course something is wrong!" Daphne yelled. "I'm not daft, you know! Me brothers were always fighting and I hated it! Dr. Crane, stop making your brother seem inferior!

You love each other, so start acting like it!"

Niles couldn't help but stare at Daphne as she stormed out of the room. And just like that, his anger toward his older brother dissolved. He turned to Frasier and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Frasier."

"I'm sorry too, Niles. Daphne's right. I am proud of you. And I love you."

Niles held out his hand but was rewarded with a hug. The pending court case was completely forgotten, replaced by the love he had for his older brother-and for the angel who had somehow strengthened their relationship. "I love you too, Frasier. And I'm proud of you as well."

Frasier drew back and smiled. "Why don't we look at this court case as an opportunity? I'll present my case and you present yours. And may the best man win, all right?"

Niles nodded. "I Hope that man will be you, Frasier."

"And I hope it's you, Niles."

Niles and Frasier looked at Daphne and then each other before hugging.

"I'm sorry Niles."

And as he and Frasier hugged again, Niles couldn't wait to thank his angel for what she had done. A simple hug simply wouldn't be enough.


	20. Police Story

(_Daphne's POV_)

Daphne returned to the living room from the kitchen and her mouth fell open in surprise. "Oh, Dr. Crane, shame on you! You've gotten your brother's birthday cake icing all up and down your sleeve!"

"Oh, I _am_ a naughty boy!" Niles quipped.

"Well you certainly are a _messy_ one!"

Niles rose from the table and followed her into the kitchen. "But mostly a _naughty_ one!"

Daphne felt herself blushing, and she couldn't understand why. Perhaps it was because of what Niles might be insinuating; or perhaps it was a result of her vivid imagination. To distract herself she grabbed a clean dish towel and ran it under the faucet. "All right, we'll just get you fixed up here. And you'll be as good as new."

"Thank you, Daphne." Niles replied. Dutifully he held out his arm while she gently rubbed the sleeve of his jacket until it was free of icing.

"There now. You'll probably want to get your jacket dry cleaned so that the stains don't set."

"I will. Thank you, Daphne. Really. I can't thank you enough."

"You're welcome." She said in an attempt to sound authoritative. "But just don't do it again!" It was meant to be a joke but suddenly his smile disappeared and he sighed deeply. "Dr. Crane?"

"You're right, Daphne. It was irresponsible and childish of me to get Frasier's birthday cake all over y suit. Not to mention, completely careless."

She couldn't help but hug him, despite the dampness of his sleeve. "I know you didn't do it on purpose. I'm sorry, Dr. Crane. I was just joking. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

She could feel him shiver beneath her touch and she held him even closer. "Your brother seems so happy today and I'm glad for him. I just wish…"

"What, Daphne?"

"I just wish that I could be that happy too."

He hugged her again, giving no thought to his dampened sleeve. "You will, Daphne. Because you deserve all the happiness in the world."


	21. Where There's Smoke There's Fired

(_Niles POV_)

Daphne rose from the table and turned to Bebe, Niles, Martin and Frasier. "Well, I smoked for years, but I never got addicted. To this day I can light up a cigarette, toss the pack in the drawer and never give it another thought for months!"

"There's a word for people like you." Bebe said. "What is it? Oh, right… _Bitch_."

Niles' jaw dropped. "Now just a minute!" He began. "Just because you're having trouble with a… filthy, disgusting habit doesn't mean…" He rose from his chair and stormed into the kitchen, where Daphne had disappeared seconds before.

"Daphne…"

She whirled around, her hand on her chest. "Oh, Dr. Crane… you startled me."

"I'm sorry, I-."

"Did you need something? Some more potatoes, perhaps?"

"No, I'm okay, but-."

"But what?"

He sighed deeply, not really knowing how to begin. Perhaps it was best to just be truthful. "Daphne, I'm sorry that Bebe insulted you."

"What?"

"She shouldn't have called you a… Um…" He couldn't even bring himself to say the word. "Well, anyway, it was rude and uncalled for and… I'm sorry."

Daphne smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."

"I certainly hope not." Niles said. "Because you should be showered with nice words."

"Aren't you sweet? Thank you."

"Actually I should be thanking you."

"Me? For what?"

"For teaching me about coupons. I never dreamed that tiny pieces of paper could be worth so much money. Although I'm still in the learning stages. I'm not as good at it as

I'd hoped I'd be."

"Oh that's no problem at all. It's easy to fix!"

"It is?"

"Sure! The next time I go to the store, I'll tell you ahead of time and we can go together. How does that sound?"

He gasped, unable to believe what he was hearing. Dare he imagine that she was asking him out on a date? "Wonderful." He managed to say. "And, Daphne… I will have more potatoes."

She grinned. "Coming right up."

As he returned to the living room, his heart was, as always, filled with love.


	22. Frasier Loves Roz

(Daphne's POV)

Daphne smiled as she opened the door. The sight of her friend was a welcome one indeed. Mr. Crane had been driving her absolutely crazy and it was nice that he was finally out of the house; if only for a few hours. She loved the old man of course, but getting him to do his exercises was downright infuriating. How many times did she have to try to convince him that they were for his own good? A lot, apparently. And so when he finally became fed up and said he was going to Duke's to watch the Mariners game, she breathed a sigh of relief. At last she could get some peace and quiet. But now that Niles had come over, she was more than happy to see him. She missed him; a crazy thought if ever there was one. He was over practically every day, but sometimes it didn't feel like enough.

"Hello, Dr. Crane. What brings you here?"

"Well, actually…" He paused, looking her up and down. "You look lovely, Daphne. Is that a new dress?"

She looked down at the dress she'd worn hundreds of times. "Oh not at all Dr. Crane! You've seen me in this dress a million times. But I appreciate the compliment."

"Well, I meant it. You do look… Um…Is-is Dad here?"

"No, I'm afraid he's not. He went to Duke's to watch the baseball game. And the longer he stays gone, the better if you ask me!"

"Daphne don't say that!" Niles shouted, startling her with his outburst. "Don't ever say that!"

She swallowed hard, taken aback by his sudden change of behavior. "I'm sorry, Dr. Crane, I-."

"Dad is a wonderful person, all right?"

"Well of course he is. I was only-."

"Don't joke about such things! It's not funny! Not funny at all!"

Her heart was racing at his inexplicable anger toward her. "I'm sorry. I was just-." At closer inspection, she could see that his eyes were glistening with tears. A sight she'd never thought she'd see. "Dr. Crane, ae you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" He snapped.

"Well, because I can see…"

"What?"

She knew she shouldn't mention the tears. He'd only deny them. And so she tried to smile. "Your father's a wonderful man. I'm sorry you missed him. But he went to Duke's if you need to talk to him. He's there watching the Mariners' game with Duke."

"No, I'm all right. I just…"

She opened the door wider to let him in and was completely shocked when he sat down in his father's chair. It was enough to make her call his brother. But she stayed where she was. And then she took his hand. "Are you sure you're all right?"

He sighed deeply. "No, Actually I'm not."

"Well, I know I'm not trained in this sort of thing but if you need to talk-."

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, Daphne. It was rude and uncalled for. I just… well, Dad's not going to be around forever."

"He's certainly not if he doesn't do his exercises. Why just earlier today, I was-."She quieted when she noticed that he was frowning, distinctly wiping a tear from his eye.

"What happened? Did you and your father have a fight?"

"Not exactly. You see, Frasier had this idea for Dad to make a tape for Fredrick, you know for us to play after he's… gone."

A chill came over her at the thought. Mr. Crane had become like a father to her, even if he did drive her crazy. "I see… Well, that's a nice thing to do. I wish me Grammy Moon had made one. But your father is-."

"He didn't take it seriously, Daphne! Not at all!"

"What happened?"

"It was all a big joke to him, that's what happened! He started out by saying that he was 64 years old and it was going so well until he said that he had a million dollars in unmarked bills in an old army footlocker that he took from a drug dealer. He was giving the combintoin code;_ Left 15, right 32, left-_."

Daphne's eyes widened as she quickly tried to memorize the combination. After all, she was family too, or so she'd been told. "And?"

"And then he makes this dramatic scene as though he's dying. His eyes became huge and he started choking and then... nothing. It was a perfect death scene. Better than any I'd seen on the stage to be honest."

Daphne laughed and laughed. "Oh, that's hilarious, Dr. Crane! I had no idea your father had it in him!"

"It's _not_ funny, Daphne! Not at _all!_ Can't you _see_?"

She quieted immediately. "No, I'm afraid I don't see."

"Dad is going to die one day! Daphne. And I won't have anything left, but-."

Now she felt terrible for making a joke out of something that wasn't funny at all.

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane. I didn't mean to laugh. And you're right. He will be gone one day. But that's not for a very long time from now. I'm sure he didn't realize how much the tape meant to you. Why don't you go over to Duke's and let him know how much you love him?"

Niles nodded and smiled. "You're right, Daphne. I-."

The door opened and they looked up in surprise to see Martin walk through the door. "Niles, what in the hell are you doing in my chair?"

Niles was out of the chair within seconds. "I-I.."

"Your youngest son was missing you terribly, Mr. Crane. He was really looking forward to making that video tape for Frederick."

"What video tape?"

"The one he wants to give to Fredrick so he can watch it after you're gone."

"Oh… right. But that still doesn't explain…"

"I think you two have a few things to discuss, so I'll just be in the kitchen. It was nice to see you, Dr. Crane. Can I get you some tea or anything?"

"No, I'm fine, Daphne. Thank you."

"Mr. Crane?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks, Daph."

"Very well then." Daphne headed into the kitchen and began working on the dishes. There weren't that many and she finished sooner than she expected. The kitchen itself was already immaculate so there was no need to clean it anymore. But she hated to go out into the living room, even to make her way to her room. And so she stayed in the kitchen, making herself comfortable on a chair while she caught up on her reading. She was glad that she'd left her romance novel in the kitchen the night before; quite by accident of course. But it was a nice distraction now.

Several chapters later, she put her book down and peeked into the living room. The sight made her eyes fill with tears. Father and son had obviously made up and were now embracing tightly.

"I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Niles. Why don't we make that video tape for Freddie, all right? And we can get Daphne to tape it so that you and Frasier can be a part of it, too. Hell, we should get Daphne in it as well. She's family too."

Niles looked so happy that Daphne thought he might burst. "Do you _mean _it, Dad? You _really_ mean it?"

"Hell _yes_, I mean it!"

"Oh, this is wonderful! I'll come over tomorrow and we can start then! But I should probably go now."

"Why? The game's not over yet. Why don't you watch it with me?"

"B-baseball? I-I don't know, Dad…"

"Aw, come on. Would it hurt you to watch one game with your old man?"

And when Niles sat down and started watching the game with his father, a game he clearly didn't understand. Daphne's tears fell onto her cheeks. But she didn't brush them away. They were tears of happiness. And a reminder of how much she loved the Crane family.


	23. The Focus Group

(_Niles' POV_)

When the elevator doors opened, Niles crossed the hallway and stood at his brother's doorstep, his heart on his sleeve. He shouldn't be here. He had no right to be here. No right at all. And yet it was the only place he needed to be.

His hand held tightly to the green stems wrapped in pink cellophane; the stems that held the soft pink roses. A trifle that couldn't even begin to make up for what he had done. But it was an attempt at forgiveness and that had to count for something.

His first fight with Daphne had been completely unintentional, but it was such an invigorating feeling that he simply couldn't help himself. And so, to the horror of his father, Niles had spat words that never in a million years should be uttered to an angel.

He'd criticized her for eating _potato chips_ of all things, going so far as to imply that she was overweight, when in actuality, she looked perfectly fine. No… scratch that. She looked more than fine. She was absolutely breathtaking. But instead of acknowledging her beauty, he went on, taunting her until he knew that he'd gone too far.

And still he continued. That is, until two days ago, when he'd really let her have it. And the worst thing was that he couldn't remember exactly what he'd said to her. But he knew that for the rest of his life, he would never forget her reaction to his harshness; the look of shock, horror and hurt in her eyes; the mumbled excuse about needing to leave; the unmistakable tears that she tried to hide. And then the knife through his heart as she threw him out, ordering him never to return.

And yet, here he was. He knew it was a huge risk, for she might not let him in. It was a reality that pained him to the core. He knew that he deserved anything that came his way, but it wasn't going to stop him from trying.

His fingers trembled as he rang the doorbell and when the door opened, Frasier greeted him with a smile. "Hello, Niles. I wasn't expecting you so early."

"I know Frasier. I just-." Niles froze at the sight of his angel, who emerged from the kitchen. And to his dismay, she did not look happy.

"What's he doing here?" She snapped.

Frasier glanced at Daphne, dumbfounded, for he apparently knew nothing about their series of arguments. "Daphne, that's a terrible thig to say! Niles is welcome here anytime!"

"Well then, I'm going out!" She said curtly.

"Fine, but your rudeness is _appalling_, not to mention surprising, Daphne!" Frasier observed.

"If you ask me she was being _damn nice_!" His father grumbled from behind his newspaper.

Niles swallowed hard. "Maybe I should just go. I-I have something that I need to do."

"Nobody's going anywhere or doing anything until I find out what's going on!" Frasier ordered.

"Niles is a _jackass_, _that's_ what's going on!" his father said, causing Niles to sulk even further.

"Dad-."

Niles glanced at his older brother. "No, Dad's right, Frasier. I _am_ a jackass. And I need to redeem myself. So in answer to your question, I'm here to see Daphne."  
"I have nothing to say to you, Dr. Crane."

He expected as much, but he couldn't leave. Not until he'd said what he'd come to say. "I know, Daphne. I have no right to be here, but please… I really need to speak to you."

"Um, Dad wasn't there something you wanted to show me on the balcony?" Frasier asked. "Something about the way the light hits the Space Needle at night?"

His dad looked up, completely at a loss. "Huh?"

"You know… that observation you made about the Space Needle this morning. I want to see if your theory is true."

"My-." Martin stopped and looked at Niles and Daphne and then put down his paper and grabbed his cane. "Oh yeah, right. My theory. Yeah, come on and I'll show you."

Niles tried to smile. "Thanks Dad. Thanks Frasier."

When they were alone, Niles turned his attention to Daphne and smiled. But she wasn't smiling and in fact looked angrier than before. "All right. I'm here so what is it?"

"Daphne, I-." He paused, taking a moment to catch his breath.

"Well? I don't have all day!"

Slowly his hand moved from behind him, revealing the bouquet of pink roses.

Daphne gasped. "Dr. Crane, they're so beautiful… but-."

"They're for you to hopefully in some small way let you know how deeply sorry I am."

She blinked as her eyes filled with tears. "You didn't have to do this."

"Of course I did. And it can't even begin to make up for what I did. I feel horrible that I treated you so terribly. Arguing with you might have been invigorating at first, but now I see how deeply I hurt you and that's something I vowed the day I met you that I'd never do. I'm so sorry, Daphne. Those horrible things I said. The accusations… I'm deeply ashamed of myself."

To his horror, she began to sob.

"Oh Daphne…." His heart went out to her and he wanted so much to hold her; to comfort her, but he didn't dare. He had no right. No right at all.

But then something wonderful happened. Something both wonderful and heartbreaking.

She fell into his arms, sobbing, leaving him no choice but to hold her and comfort her as best he could.

"Daphne-."

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Crane! I'm the horrible one! All of those terrible things I said to you! I didn't mean them! I was just upset over Joe!"

He drew back and looked at her. "What about Joe?"

She went to the sofa and they sat down together. "It's our six-month anniversary and we should be together celebrating, but where is he? In Las Vegas, wrestling in pudding while watching the Topless History of the World Show!"

Niles' mouth fell open in horror. "What?"

She cried harder, falling into his arms once more. "He doesn't love me, Dr. Crane! I know he's in Las Vegas with all of those beautiful women! What's so wrong with me? Why can't he be with me? I was up all night, crying into me pillow!"

Niles sighed deeply and held her closer, his hand moving gently up and down her back. "Daphne…"

"You were right. I am an idiot. An idiot, a brat and a couch zombie!"

The words he'd spat at her were being thrown back at him like knives and he held her even closer, boldly kissing her silky hair.

"Daphne, I'm so deeply sorry. I was horrible, calling you those names. You're none of those things and you certainly don't deserve to be told to shut up. You're an angel and you're wonderful and I love you so much." He gasped at the words that left his mouth. He could hardly believe that he'd said them. But there was no taking them back now.

"I know that comes as a shock, but I've wanted to tell you so many times. If you don't feel the same way, believe me I'll understand, but-."

When he got no reaction from his confession at all, he drew back and glanced at her, chuckling to himself.

It was par for the course. She was exhausted and had fallen asleep in his arms. He grabbed the throw that sat on the back of the sofa and draped it over her shoulders, kissing her cheek.

"Goodnight my sweet angel."


	24. You Can Go Home Again

(_Daphne's_ POV)

"Daphne, are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

Daphne smiled at her boss. She was so grateful to him for giving her time off to go on vacation that she silently vowed never to be annoyed by him again; or at least for several months. She was bound to break her vow sooner or later. But for now, she loved him dearly. He could be the kindest man in the world when he wanted to be. And she would be forever grateful for giving her a chance to be a part of his family.

"I'd love to, but I really need to sort this out. I don't have much time and I need to make the reservations as soon as possible."

Frasier smiled. "Well, that's true, but I really wish that you'd reconsider. This is a big day for me, my third year on the air at KACL and I wanted to celebrate with the entire family. But I completely understand if you-."

Daphne blinked back tears and smiled. "No, of course I'll go. Come here you."

Before Frasier could react, she was hugging him tightly. "I love you."

Instantly she felt him relax in her arms. "Well thank you, Daphne. I love you, too. You're a wonderful addition to this family."

"In the loosest sense of the world." She quipped.

"In _every _sense." He said seriously. "Isn't that right, Dad? Niles?"

"Absolutely." Both men replied at once.

"Well, in that case, how can I resist?" Daphne said. "Thank you all so much."

_(Later that evening)_

The dinner was lovely, as Daphne knew it would be, made even more so in the company of the three men she loved more than anyone. Ironically the one she loved the most was sitting right beside her, having no idea whatsoever about how she felt.

But she couldn't tell him. Not here, not now and perhaps not ever. He was newly separated and it just wasn't right. Besides, it would be a huge shock to find out that his father's physical therapist had fallen in love with him. He probably didn't feel the same way, and she'd just have to accept that. However, tonight belonged to his brother.

Feeling bold she stood and held up her glass of wine. "I'd like to propose a toast."  
The men seemed surprised and looked around before picking up their glasses and joining her.

"To Frasier, who in the course of three years has been a wonderful boss, and has become a wonderful friend and great confidant. I'll always be grateful for everything you've done for me and for the city of Seattle, helping people with their problems, easing their pain... It's wonderful."

Becoming emotional yet again, she blinked back tears took a long drink from her glass, forgetting to clink it against the three Crane men's. And when she finally remembered, she reached for the bottle of wine (which Niles graciously poured for her) and then clinked her glass against the Crane men's empty ones.

"Better late than never, I suppose." she said, giving a nervous laugh.

Niles eyed her cautiously. "Daphne, are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine, why?"

Frasier grinned. "Daphne's just excited about her upcoming trip, aren't you?"

"I suppose I am." She admitted, pulling the brochures from her purse. "But it's so hard to decide where to go. Should I choose sunny Acapulco or me home in England?" A deep sigh escaped. "I do miss me family terribly, but Acapulco is so beautiful. I've never been to Mexico and it does look inviting."

"Well, why not both?"

She looked at Frasier in disbelief. "But I've only got a week. How can I possibly-."

"You work hard Daphne and I realized that we don't thank you enough for all you do for Dad; and for us. So how does two weeks sound?"

The offer made her gasp in surprise. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do! You serve it!"

She rose from the gable and tearfully ran to Frasier hugging him tightly. "Thank you so much, Dr. Crane, really! This is-." She paused to kiss his cheek. "So wonderful!"

And then she went to Mr. Crane hugging him and kissing his cheek, trying not to laugh as he cringed in obvious disgust. "I love you, old man."

Without hesitation she rushed over to Niles, surprising him by engulfing him in an even bigger hug and kissing his cheek. "How could I forget you, Dr. Crane? You're wonderful and I love you so much. I love you all, so much."

She hadn't meant to tell him that she loved him, not in the romantic way, although it was certainly what she meant. But when he hugged her even tighter, she realized that he needed a friend and she was bound and determined to be there for him; no matter what.

"I just can't believe this!" She said, returning to her chair, smiling at Niles who was now standing, eager to push it in for her. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. And Mr. Crane… Oh, and you too, Dr. Crane! You're all so wonderful and I love you all!"

"We love you too, Daphne." Niles said. Although the younger Dr. Crane meant the words in friendship, she felt her heart flutter. If only he meant them as she meant them as well.

"So have you decided when you're leaving?" Frasier asked.

"I'll make the reservations first thing tomorrow and probably leave next week if that's all right."

"That sounds great, Daphne. Dad and I will try to behave ourselves while you're gone, won't we, Dad?"

"Speak for yourself!" Martin grumbled.

"Well, I'm going to the men's room." Frasier said.

"I need to go, too." Martin said. "You coming, Niles?"

"Um, no I'm fine. You two go ahead." Niles replied.

Alone with Niles, Daphne began to feel a bit self-conscious, which was silly. She'd been alone with him a million times before. But being in love with a man who had no idea how she felt about him; a man who was, without a doubt her best friend, was a little intimidating.

"I'm glad you got your vacation worked out, Daphne."

"Thank you so much, Dr. Crane. I never dreamed I'd be able to do both. It was so hard, trying to decide. I'm sure after a week in Manchester putting up with me brothers and me mum and dad, I'll need a week in Acapulco to recover." She laughed at her own joke but stopped when she realized that Niles wasn't laughing. "Is something wrong, Dr. Crane?"

"No, I was just thinking…"

"About what?"

"About how much I'll miss you while you're gone. I'll miss you terribly."

Tears filled her eyes and impulsively she leaned to kiss him. But instead of kissing his cheek, her lips landed on his and she was amazed at how soft they were.

"You're so sweet, Dr. Crane. And while I'm gone one thing is for certain."

"What's that?"

She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek.

"I'll miss you most of all."  
_**THE END**_

(Of _Part 3! To be continued in Parts 4-11! Thank you to everyone for your reviews and for reading! _)


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